Japan's ruling party LDP on course for majority, Kyodo poll says
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Polling results found the Liberal Democratic Party is set to win at least 233 seats, compared with 276 before Parliament was dissolved.
PHOTO: EPA-EFE
TOKYO (BLOOMBERG) - Japan's long-ruling Liberal Democratic Party (LDP) is likely to keep its parliamentary majority in the Oct 31 general election, according to a large-scale poll conducted by Kyodo News.
Several other media outlets carried out similar surveys, all indicating the LDP and its junior coalition partner Komeito were likely to retain a majority of the 465 seats up for grabs in the election for the powerful Lower House.
In a survey of 174,000 people by phone on Tuesday (Oct 19) and Wednesday, Kyodo found the LDP is set to win at least 233 seats, compared with 276 before Parliament was dissolved.
The ruling coalition had more than 300 seats between them.
Prime Minister Fumio Kishida took office at the start of the month and any major reduction in party numbers could put his leadership in jeopardy, potentially propelling him through the "revolving door" through which six premiers were dispatched between 2007-2012.
He also faces an Upper House election next year, which will be key to smoothing the path for his legislative programme.
Mr Kishida has campaigned on pledges to raise incomes, narrow disparities in society and provide a massive stimulus package to help a Covid-battered economy.
Polling results so far indicate the main opposition Constitutional Democratic Party (CDP) is struggling to attract support, despite an alliance with other small parties and tepid public approval for Mr Kishida.
An opinion poll published by the Asahi newspaper put support for Mr Kishida's Cabinet at 41 per cent, down on 45 per cent in a previous poll two weeks earlier.
However, when asked to choose the more appropriate premier, 54 per cent of respondents opted for Mr Kishida, compared with 14 per cent for CDP leader Yukio Edano.
About 58 per cent of respondents said the opposition CDP was not capable of running the government.
The election comes as the government seeks to revive the economy, with daily recorded virus infections dwindling to less than 500, and 68 per cent of the population fully vaccinated - among the highest in the Group-of-Seven nations.
